Page 37 of Trapped with the Vicious Highlander
Ava nodded. “Margaret should get comfortable around you, so it will be easier for her when I leave. And if I am being honest,” she added quickly when Flora opened her mouth, “I think Margaret likes you more than she likes Brodrick. But do not tell him I said that.”
Flora smiled. “I like the wee rascal as well.”
She finally headed back to the door, her feet slightly dragging across the floor. When she put her hand on the door handle, she turned to Ava again.
“Ye will be at breakfast tomorrow, will ye nae? We will have it with the people residin’ at the castle.”
Ava swallowed. “Really?”
“Aye,” Flora responded. “It was Brodrick’s idea. He wanted the people to get to ken Margaret and get used to her presence.”
Ava thought it over. It was not particularly the worst idea in the world. She had encountered some of Brodrick’s people. But she wasn’t sure if she wanted to interact with them even more.
“I ken Brodrick intends to introduce Margaret at tomorrow’s breakfast, but I am quite certain he intends to introduce ye as well,” Flora added, in what seemed like a last attempt to convince Ava to attend.
Ava nodded. “It is quite all right. I shall make myself available.”
Flora smiled in response, stepped out of her room, and shut the creaky door behind her.
Ava remained standing in the middle of her room. Her eyes landed on the unfinished letter she had been writing to Sarah and Elizabeth, and she considered briefly whether to finish it. The idea disappeared just as quickly as it had come, and she moved to her bed.
She looked out the glass panes, into the still and rather beautiful starry sky. The sky in the Highlands, she had to admit, looked even more breathtaking than it did on the Scottish border. Of course, she would never mention this to Brodrick. The last thing she needed was to let it go to his head.
Brodrick.
As she lay down on the bed, her head softly hitting her pillow, vivid images of their kiss flashed through her mind. She couldn’t believe that for a brief moment, she had forgotten about it. And now she couldn’t believe it was back again.
She squeezed her eyes shut, ready for the stillness of the room and the faint draft coming from the window to lull her into a sound sleep.
As she slowly drifted off, the last thing she thought of was breakfast tomorrow. And the fact that she’d make herself visible to even more people.
It’s just breakfast. What could possibly go wrong?
CHAPTER12
Brodrick tookone last look at the papers on his desk. He had spent the whole night looking through everything, since he could not sleep. Not after the kiss, and not after Ava had mysteriously run out on him.
Several questions plagued his mind, and every single time he lay down to rest, sleep just wouldn’t come. Thus he decided to put himself to good use and study the plans his men had reported to him over the last few days. It did not occur to him that the sun had risen until Flora stepped into the room.
“Please, dinnae tell me this was where ye were all night?” she asked, shaking her head.
“I wasnae here all night.”
“Christ in heaven, Brodrick. I came to tell ye that breakfast is ready. Why did ye nae sleep?”
Brodrick heaved a sigh. He didn’t know where to start. So, for now, he only informed his sister that he couldn’t sleep.
“Ye could tell me, ye ken? Maybe I might have an advice or two to give.”
“Tis fine, Fiona. I will get over it.”
“I dinnae like seeing ye like this, Brodrick. Ye ken that.”
“I do.”
“So ye willnae tell me.”
“There's nothing to tell.”
